Defiance
by chickenfreak162656
Summary: It was an average night at the cave until the team woke up to Nightwing's voice over the caves com link system. "Nightwing to cave. Please respond. I am currently engaged in combat with Joker, in addition to Deathstroke. I've already taken out Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo. Requesting back-up… I repeat..." suddenly Joker's voice boomed through the system.-Hi all! please read AN!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Okay so I'm only 14 so please excuse some of the grammar mistakes if there are any (which I'm sire there are). Also because I don't know Romani, we're just going to pretended that the Romanian in this is actually Romani. M'kay? Cool. Translations courtesy of Google translate so sorry if this isn't right… Anyway! Just thought I would let you guys (when I say guys I mean everyone :D) know that this is my first Nightwing fic, so be gentle(ish. I have two brothers so I can take criticism) hope you enjoy! ANYWAY, TO THE STORY! **

Disclaimer: I don't own Young Justice. If I did I would be rich and would not have cancelled it.

Chapter one:

Nightwing sat at the monitor in the heart of Mount Justice, his eyes glued to the screen as he typed at a ridiculous speed that could put even Kid Flash to shame. It was 2am in the morning and the cave was silent, all other occupants asleep in their beds.

The first boy wonder paused for a moment only to yawn, before he continued with his work. Nightwing was currently deciphering an encrypted file that he had apprehended from the Joker. He had been doing this task since the team had brought the flash drive containing it back over three hours ago.

Nightwing cursed out loud, feeling the effects of two days and counting without sleep take its toll on him.

He needed coffee.

The hero sighed as he dragged himself out of his seat. He slowly made his way to the caves kitchen and made himself a coffee before returning to his work, sipping the beverage as he did. _What did the Joker want to hide on this file? _The question circling in Nightwing's head as he continued the decryption.

_Unless…_

_He wasn't trying to hide anything. He's stalling for time…_

Nightwing quickly typed a number of codes into the computer, bringing up surveillance cameras through Arkham Asylum and Gotham City.

He scowled when he saw Joker striding out Arkham's gates, a trail of downed guards and blood behind him. With him was Deathstroke along with Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo. Nightwing growled. He didn't have time to wake the team. He would have to go and stop them on his own or the villains would escape before he and the team got there.

Forty minutes later

A bleeding and bruised Nightwing ducked and sweep kicked Joker as he lunged with a knife. Poison Ivy was down along with Count Vertigo while Deathstroke was trying to capture the caped crusader. "Stay still Damn it!"

Nightwing frowned, placing a hand to his ear.

You do not tell an acrobat to stay still.

He pressed his com. "Nightwing to Wally. Respond." No response came causing the young adult to growl. Suddenly, Deathstroke pointed one of his guns at the hero and fired. _Fine. I'll try someone else. _The hero thought irritability to himself.

Nightwing flipped backwards while still talking to his com. "Nightwing to cave. Please respond. I am currently engaged in combat with Joker, Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo in addition to Deathstroke. I've already taken Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo are down. Requesting back-up. I repeat. I am engaged in battle with Joker, in addition to Deathstroke. Requesting-"

Nightwing was cut off by Deathstroke who managed to grab his head and slam it into a nearby wall. Immediately after, he felt Joker's knife cut his side. Deathstroke slammed Nightwing's head into the wall again.

He heard a muffled voice talking but couldn't make out what it was saying.

"Dracu' " _*f word*_

-: Back at the cave. -

Jaime woke to a loud (and rather obnoxious) beeping. He groaned and looked at his alarm clock. "2:40am" he read out loud. The young teen pulled his covers over his head and curled up into a ball, trying to ignore the noise.

Jaime shot up when he heard Nightwing's voice sound throughout the cave, replacing the beeping sound. "Nightwing to cave. Please respond. I am currently engaged in combat with Joker, in addition to Deathstroke. I've already taken out Poison Ivy and Count Vertigo. Requesting back-up… I repeat. I am currently engaged in battle with Joker, in addition to Deathstroke. Requesting-" Nightwing's voice was cut off by a loud thud and the sound of flesh being cut. Another thud followed.

A new voice spoke into the com. "Hello, mini League. This is Uncle J along with Deadsteel…" a growl was heard, "Sorry. I mean Deathstroke- really though you should consider Deadsteel, it has a certain ring to it- Poison Ivy and our dear friend Count Vertigo. Those last two are kinda unconscious right now so they can't say hi, but I'm sure they would send their love! Just thought I'd inform you that our not so little any more bird is going to have some quality time with us.

"Don't worry though. I'm sure he'll try to escape as he's quite the stubborn bird. Take right now, for example. He just had his head smashed against a concrete wall twice, was stabbed and is _still_ trying to get up." A quiet voice said "dracu '" before a loud smack was heard followed by a grunt.

The voice, now identified as Joker, continued. "Ha-ha Hahaha! Hehe… Sorry kiddies, bird boy here needs to learn to mind his language when children are listening. Anyway! Just a recap, you're oh-so-precious leader would be hanging with us for a while. Have fun! And don't forget to be good little heroes! Be in bed by nine and umm… brush your teeth! Bye bye!" Static replaced the sickly sweet voice.

Before he knew it, Jaime and the rest of the team were at the many monitors that were in the centre of the cave. A cup of half-empty, now cold coffee was sitting next to the keyboard. On the monitor was the security feeds from Arkham Asylum. A group of five figures, two lying unconscious on the ground, and one (bleeding and also seemingly unconscious) was being slung over another figures shoulder. The team immediately recognised the bloodied figure as Nightwing.

The team watched as Nightwing (apparently still conscious) kneed his captor in the gut. His captor instinctively dropped the hero and growled something at him. Nightwing smirked before saying something- no doubt witty- back. His captor looked at him for a second before kicking his bleeding side. The team could lip read 'Shut up!' from the heavily armed villain.

"Hermano…" Jaime- now Blue Beetle- said to no one in particular. He watched as their leader was picked up and thrown off screen. Blue stared at the smaller screen next to the other and saw Nightwing cough up a small amount of blood as he landed. The ebony haired teen/ young man was then thrown into the boot of a car, his side bleeding heavier and blood trickling out the side if his mouth. The boot door slammed shut, obstructing the view of their injured friend and leader.

"We have to do something!" yelled Batgirl and Robin in unison. Everyone nodded in agreement. Batgirl sat down in Nightwing's chair and began typing furiously on the keyboard. "Shit… D-Nightwing had been decrypting the files on Joker's flash drive since… 2 in the morning." The red headed bat explained. "Whoa! Wait a minute… when did he start?" asked Beast Boy. Batgirl's face darkened as she answered. "As soon as we gave it to him." The others, excluding Miss Martian, Superboy and Robin, gaped.

"Can you track his com.?" asked Wonder Girl innocently. Batgirl shook her head. "Joker isn't stupid. He or one of the other villains destroyed it so we couldn't. Miss M?" All eyes fell onto the Martian who was trembling slightly. "Hmm? Oh. No, I can't locate Nightwing. I just keep getting glimpses of his mind, he keeps pushing me out though. His unconscious mind keeps… remembering his previous encounters with Joker and Deathstroke…" after she finished explaining, she shuddered. Miss M kept seeing the images over and over. Blood covering the ebony haired hero as both Robin and Nightwing. The torture Joker and Deathstroke put him through.

Miss M froze at the sudden sight in front of her. She was inside Nightwing's unconscious mind again, seeing what he was remembering.

_She saw Nightwing as Robin chained upside down and littered with wounds, his blood covering a crowbar that was in Jokers hand. He swung it forward into Robin's chest, earning a loud crack. The clown grabbed the boy's hair and pulled it so he could look at Robin's upside down face. _

_"__So… let me ask again. Is little Robbie scared?" Joker's voice was sickly sweet. To M'gann's amazement, Robin cackled, then grinned "Of you? Nope. You're just some guy who's insane and wears clown make up. Which by the way, is very poorly done." He finished. Joker lashed forward at the boy wonder with crowbar in hand. _

_"__Shut up bird brain! You make such a great piñata! What will come out when I crack you open? Candy or guts?" saying this, Joker hit Robin in the stomach, this time with the teeth of the crowbar. M'gann gagged as the clown roughly ripped the weapon out her friend's stomach. His blood dripping down onto his face due to gravity. _

She felt Nightwing push her out before she could see more.

Miss Martian was suddenly aware that her team had been calling her name. "We have to find him." She said urgently, surprising the team of young heroes.

"Find who? What's wrong?" Asked the now present Wally, his sudden arrival startling all in the room. With him was Artemis, both were dressed in their hero attire.

"What are you doing here?" Wonder Girl asked quickly, earning a raised eyebrow from the speedster and archer. "Someone was trying to reach me through my old com. link. Didn't make out who though. What's going on?" Kid flash looked around the room and crossed his arms as he continued.

"Where the hell is Nightwing? Shouldn't he be here? He's gonna get one hell of an earful if he didn't talk to the idiot that thought it would be a good idea to mess with the com. links at 3 in the morning." Everyone stiffened at the mention of their leader's name. Which didn't go unnoticed by the couple in front of them.

"Where's Nightwing?" it wasn't a question anymore, it was a demand, made by both Artemis and Wally. He looked at M'gann and Connor for an answer. They reluctantly explained what had happened. It was that moment when the entire group decided they would get their leader back. One way, or another.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: thank you so much for continuing to read this! Special thanks to Shoroi Misa as well as Charade14 for advice and support. So this is the next chapter, hopefully I did this right so uh... ENJOY**

**Disclaimer: see previous chapter. **

-Dick/ Nightwing's POV-

It had been two days since he was taken. He would still attempt escape, but that only made the torture even harsher. Not that it stopped him from constantly trying.

Nightwing gritted his teeth as his shoulder was popped out of place. Joker frowned at the lack of answers the hero was giving him. The crazed clown took a step back to admire his handiwork.

Nightwing's body was suspended in the air by chains that restrained his wrists. His right side was bleeding heavily, from when Joker had gotten bored on the first day and cut the ebony haired hero's already bleeding side when he wouldn't scream, his hair stuck to his face with both blood and sweat, he had been almost drowned three times now, been beaten and bruised so many times with both a crowbar and bare hands that even Joker himself had lost count, stabbed twice, cut multiple times and been subjected to a large amount of fear gas, joker venom and laughing gas, and his shoulder now dislocated.

"Tell us what we want to hear, and I might think about letting you down from there. Surely now with a dislocated shoulder, hanging there must really be hurting. Huh Bird boy?" Joker cackled before his playful, grin disappeared and was replaced by a frown.

"Or are you still refusing to spill the beans? If so, I'm sure Deathstroke wouldn't mind helping me with this…. Interrogation." Joker tapped the one way glass mirror opposite the restrained hero. Nightwing clenched his jaw tighter. He remembered what happened last time Deathstroke had "interrogated" him. He hardly survived, in fact even to this day, Dick wakes in a cold sweat and has to reassure himself he's not there.

Instead of showing his fear, Nightwing let out a humourless chuckle. "You know Joker…. They say… that doing the same thing over and… over is a… sign of insanity." He managed to mumble through the pain. Suddenly, something inside joker snapped. Like the small thread of sanity he did have left (a very thin thread, but a thread none the less) had been cut.

"I AM NOT INSANE!" he screamed at the chained man as he punched the hero's stomach, which was wide open due to him hanging from chains, knocking what little air remained out and leaving him gasping even more so than before.

Joker sighed as he ran his hand through his messy green mop of hair. "I just like to do want I want, when I want and how I want to. So… answer my question or I stop being Mr. Nice Uncle J." he paused to add to the already heavy atmosphere. "Tell us all the League and League Jr's secrets." Joker's face was so close to Nightwing's, he could feel his breath on his face. He smelt it too.

Nightwing gave the clown prince of Gotham a bat death glare. "(cough) Go… (Hack, cough)… to Hell." He rasped out. Nightwing then spat the blood that filled his mouth at Joker, who had been in centre meters from the hero's face. Joker's face (now covered in Dick's blood) darkened. "Deathstroke! Get in here! It seems we need to take more…. Drastic measures." He wiped the blood off with one of his purple sleeves.

Deathstroke entered the room with a metal rod in one hand and alligator clamps and battery charger in the other. In front of him, Joker was taunting Nightwing. "Joker. It would seem his friends have found us. I suggest you go get your goons and take care of them." Deathstroke mumbled. He hated working for the Joker, but Joker had paid him good money to get revenge Nightwing. And if he was honest with himself, which he always was, Deathstroke loved revenge.

-Meanwhile with the team-

Superboy was first in the door, followed by Miss M, Wally, Artemis, Robin, Batgirl, Lagoon Boy, Blue Beetle, Impulse, Wonder Girl, Bumblebee and Beast Boy. Immediately after entering, Miss Martian fell to her knees, gripping her head. "Miss M!? What is it?! What's wrong?!" shouted Kid Flash in panic.

M'gann slowly got to her feet, shaking. Her eyes were wide with fear and pain. "Nightwing's in pain!" she whispered to the team who were all trying to calm down. An unfamiliar cackling made the team's heads whip around.

"You can say that again, Greenie!" chirped Joker, bloodied crowbar in hand and around twenty goons behind him. The goons had surrounded the team. "Is… Is that Wing's?" whispered Beast Boy as he pointed at the blood. Blue Beetle, who was next to him, remained silent.

Within a second, both Batgirl and Robin were running over to joker, throwing baterrangs at the clown and his goon's. The team snapped into action.

Connor charged forward, not even wincing when he was hit on the head with a baseball bat.

Wally was running around the room, disarming the goons while the others took down the now unarmed goons.

That's when the team heard Robin cry out.

They whipped their heads around and saw Batgirl lying on the floor unconscious. Joker had his foot on her back and Robin struggling in his arms.

He squeezed the flower that was connected to his purple suit and a purple mist came out the flower, Robin accidentally inhaled some and went limp. Joker smirked as he slung Robin's limp body over his shoulder. "Don't move or the kid won't be breathing in a second." Joker cackled. The team froze when they saw Joker had a knife in his free hand. The clown licked the blade. "Good heroes." Joker slid the knife into one of his jacket pockets.

"We're leaving now." He said into a walkie-talkie he pulled out of his jacket. _"Affirmative. But he's still not talking."_ Came a voice through the speaker. Joker frowned at the comment. "Well then I'LL get him talking. I picked up another birdie, so maybe he will help…" the team heard a familiar voice cut off the clown. _"__Nu!__ Joker, __te__ (__cough__, __hack__) ...naibii monstru! Să nu îndrăzne__ș__ti... s__ă__ pune un deget pe __el__-" _A loud buzzing noise replaced the voice of their leader followed shortly by an antagonized scream that rang throughout both the walkie-talkie and the large bare police station they were in.

"Nightwing" shrieked Miss M as she put a hand on her head ready to attack. Her face contorted in pain suddenly when she felt Nightwing stopped screaming. Joker tutted. "No you don't Greenie! Remember my hostage here!" he shouted at her. She slowly lowered her hand.

The voice before was heard from the speaker again. _"He's unconscious. Moving him now. Deathstroke out. Oh and Joker?" _Joker frowned. "What is it?" he snapped at the now identified Deathstroke.

_"Stop messing around. This kid doesn't stay out of it long" _replied Deathstroke with annoyance clear in his voice.

"Aww. You're no fun. Fine." Joker turned to the team of heroes that were still frozen in place and continued talking, putting the walkie-talkie back into his jacket. He smiled and waved. "Bye Justice Brats! Don't follow or the new Robbie gets what the original one had fun with. But maybe I'll just kill him instead. I mean, the original is so much better!" he waved to the hallway the screams were coming from, to someone the team couldn't see.

That was until the team saw a masked man emerge from the darkness, dragging something behind him. The man's outfit was orange and black and he had guns and a large sheathed sword strapped to his back. The team then saw what he was dragging.

Nightwing's limp body was covered in blood. He had cuts, bruises and burns on all the skin that was showing through his torn and bloodied uniform. His face was contorted in pain even though he was unconscious. But what stood out most was the metal rod that was sticking through the limp hero's side.

Nightwing was being dragged by some chains that were restraining his hands. There was a trail of blood that was forming on the ground beneath him as he was pulled by the villain. The team gasped.

Deathstroke stopped when he saw the anguished faces of the young heroes. He let go off Nightwing's chains, causing the hero's upper body to hit the ground hard. The metal rod was pushed in deeper. Nightwing remained unconscious.

"Huh. The pain worked last time." Deathstroke said to the team, waiting for their reactions. Connor growled while the rest of the team went to attack. "No. He has Robin. If anything happened to him Nightwing would never forgive us." Said the half Kryptonion to the team.

"Smart choice." Saying this, Deathstroke picked Nightwing up by his collar and threw him across the room to where a large man with a clown mask was waiting. "Take him. I have other business to take care of" he stated to the man, who nodded quickly.

-Nightwing's point of view-

"Tell me the information now. Then I can kill you, get my pay from that idiot clown and get out of here." Snapped Deathstroke as he stabbed the metal rod in his hand through Nightwing's side. Nightwing screamed before losing consciousness again. Deathstroke sighed and slapped him across the face. No response

Deathstroke grumbled and hit him harder, causing Nightwing to growl as he slowly regained consciousness. "Answer me. What are the Justice League and Justice Brat's weaknesses, secrets and strengths? My patience is thinning."

Nightwing scowled and spat the blood that was pooling in his mouth at Deathstroke's mask. "Not. The. Answer. I. Was. Looking. For." Snapped Deathstroke as he grabbed the alligator clamp he brought in earlier and connected it to the metal rod implanted in Nightwing's side.

Nightwing let out another antagonized scream as electricity surged through his body, causing it to arch and spasm. After ten seconds the electricity stopped, leaving Nightwing panting and wheezing for air. Deathstroke pulled out a walkie-talkie he had strapped to his belt when a voice crackled through it.

_"We're leaving now." _Nightwing growled when he recognised it as Joker's voice. "Affirmative. But he's still not talking." Saying this, Deathstroke glanced at the still panting Nightwing. He was glaring daggers at the mercenary.

"_Well then I'LL get him talking! I picked up another birdie so maybe he can help…"_ Joker was cut off when Nightwing started shouting at him in Romanian. "Nu! Joker, te (cough, hack) ...naibii monstru! Să nu îndrăznești... să pune un deget pe el-" _(__No!__Joker__, __you__F__*cking __monster__! Don'__t__you__dare__ lay __a__ fingure __on__him__-)_ Nightwing was cut off by Deathstroke reattaching the alligator clamps to the metal rod implanted into his side. Nightwing screamed outs in pain. Deathstroke hit the hero with the butt of his gun, causing Nightwing to go motionless and loss consciousness.

When he woke up again, it was to an enormous head ache. Someone was dragging him by his collar. Slowly, he opened his eyes. He was being taken to a van that was fifty meters ahead of his current position. He saw men and women with clown masks on surrounding a building. A trail of blood in suggested he had just come from there.

That's when he noticed Joker, who had an unconscious Robin slung over his shoulder. Poison Ivy was standing next to him, a plant cradled in her arms. Nightwing just reacted. He grabbed the hand that had a hold on his collar and twisted the wrist, ignoring the pain that moving caused him. Nightwing then got up shaking, and stared at Joker, who had yet to notice what was happening.

"Put. Him. Down." The hero snarled at the villain. Joker turned around with a surprised gasp. "Bird Boy's awake! Who forgot to chain the Bird?!" he shouted angrily at his henchmen. "Idiots! Get him!" he screamed at them. They nodded and charged forward.

A battle ensued.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: hi guys! thanks for continuing to read this! I'm welcoming idea's for future chapters as I'm still writing chapter four. this one goes out to Charade14,who's having a bad day... HANG IN THERE JAYBIRD! [inside thing] here ya go guys!**

"Nightwing!" screamed Miss Martian suddenly, startling her teammates. She ran outside, her team followed her not far behind, puzzled. What they saw outside was not what they were expecting.

About ten of Joker's goons were lying on the floor unconscious, another - who the team recognised as the one that had taken Nightwing out the station- had his wrist broken and was cradling it while screaming in pain. Joker was frantically dodging a bloodied Nightwing's fists and kicks while Robin was behind the clown in the arms of a red headed, green skinned woman that the team knew as Poison Ivy.

Suddenly, Deathstroke appeared behind Nightwing and pulled out a Taser. The villain shot it at the rod still sticking out Nightwing's side, making him fall to the floor and his back arch. He screamed in pain before falling unconscious.

"You didn't tie him up!" shouted Joker at the mercenary. Deathstroke shrugged. "I told one of your goons to do it. I was busy. Maybe you should train your subordinates better."

Joker scoffed. "Train? Don't be silly! Why would I train them? They're just people looking for money, and who want this hero out the way." Saying this, Joker walked up to Nightwing and kicked him in the stomach, causing the rod to go deeper into the hero's side.

"Nightwing!" the team yelled. The ebony didn't even flinch. He just lay there, motionless. Joker sighed. "You guys know he's old cold right?" he told the team of heroes.

"Anyway… We'll just be taking these two and be on our way! Don't interfere okay? We still have baby bird over there!" Joker pointed towards Robin and Poison Ivy. Ivy waved and walked over to the van. She gently put Robin down in the back, tying him up before getting into the passenger seat.

The team could only watch as Joker then proceeded to lift Nightwing and throw him in the back of the van, his unconscious body making a loud thud as it hit said vans floor. Joker cackled and tied Nightwing, but unlike Robin, the ebony haired hero was restrained with chains.

The clown prince of Gotham then turned and looked at the YJ team. "Just a precaution. We all know he's an escape artist!" Joker smiled at the team before seeing the younger and newer members give him slightly puzzled looks. He clapped his hands together. "Or… not." He chuckled and sat in the driver's seat after slamming the back door to the van shut.

The Joker stuck his head out the window and smiled proudly. "Bye-bye! Don't forget about the bat still in the station when you leave! I would love to see her face when she wakes up and finds out who's missing, but as you can probably tell, Nightwing and I have to catch up! Maybe even baby bird can join in! Who knows?!" and with that, he drove off.

When Robin came back to his senses, all he could hear was muffled screaming. It sounded familiar but the young hero's mind was foggy. Robin tried to move his hands over his ears but found they were tied behind his back with rope.

"Answers now. I have better things to do then be in here asking questions." Who was that? They sound familiar, not the nice kind of familiar, but the kind of familiar that sends chills down your spine. Whomever the voice asked remained silent besides their breaths being shallow and ragged. "Now, Nightwing. I don't have all day." Robin opened his eyes at the mention of his adopted brother.

He wished he hadn't.

Robin himself was lying on his side in leaky old warehouse along with Joker, Deathstroke, Poison Ivy, Count Vertigo and Nightwing. The villains were all standing around the older hero, who was hanging upside down with chains wrapped around his legs and a large tank of water below him. He was covered in more blood than he was when Robin had saw him last, his hair was dripping wet with blood, sweat and water and his arms were tied and connected to his leg chains. He was panting and gasping for air. The metal rod still stuck through his side causing blood to drip into the tank below, making the water slowly turn crimson red.

"I want a turn!" whined Joker who was pouting. Poison Ivy sighed while Count Vertigo snorted. "This isn't a game clown." Deathstroke answered smoothly. Joker cackled before answering "Are you kidding? EVERYTHING's a game to me."

Poison Ivy smiled and gestured over her shoulder, to where Robin was lying. "We could ask him…" the red head suggested. Nightwing growled dangerously, causing even Robin to shudder. Joker sighed before hitting the villainess over her head.

"HE doesn't have info on both the goodie-goodie Leaguers as well as their brats. Duh!" he laughed when he saw the surprised look on Ivy's face. Vertigo growled "Not now. But Joker is right. The little one doesn't know as much as the one hanging in front of us. So, Nightwing. Give us answers now."

Nightwing glared at the count. "Go… to Hell." He growled, his voice tired and weak. Joker tutted and grabbed the rod in the hero's side. Robin's eyes widened in horror as the clown prince of Gotham started to spin the piece of metal, Nightwing tried gritting his teeth until finally he screamed again.

"Nope. Wrong! Try again." The villain chirped, a large grin on his face. The ebony haired hero spat blood in Joker's face when he stopped screaming. Deathstroke snarled as he walked over to where the chains that restrained the villain's captive connected to a lever. He pulled the lever.

The chains holding Nightwing groaned as they lowered the hero's head into the water. The hero struggled on his restraints, bubbles escaping his mouth. After four minutes, Deathstroke pulled the chains again, Nightwing slowly rising from the now crimson water. The hero was still aside from taking in small uneven breaths while his captors smiled, nodded or in Joker's case, laughed while rolling on the floor. As joker stood, he wiped a tear out his eye. "Get him down. He isn't going to answer while he's unconscious." Joker ordered. Deathstroke nodded and walked over to tank, pushing it out the way before facing the unmoving hero.

The mercenary aimed one of his gun's the chains supporting the hero and fired. Nightwing fell to the floor with a loud thud. Deathstroke kicked the hero's chest, causing Nightwing to hack up the water he unintentionally swallowed. The hero then went limp again, his chest rising and falling unsteadily.

Deathstroke turned to Robin, who was still wide eyed and shocked, before he bent down and untied his ropes. "Help him." The mercenary growled. Robin didn't need to be told. He scrambled over to his older brother, shaking. Deathstroke left the two as he walked out the warehouse, following the other villains.

"N…Nightwing?" Robin whispered, trying to keep his voice even.

The boy wonder dropped to his knees beside the older hero before putting pressure on his bleeding side. Nightwing groaned but remained otherwise unresponsive. "Nightwing. I…I…I'm scared. Please wake up." Robin had tears flowing from his masked eyes as he pleaded for his brother to wake. "D-Nightwing please! I don't know what to do! Wake up!" he shouted at the hero. Robin closed his eyes to try and stop the tears.

Nightwing groaned as he groggily opened his eyes. He took in his surroundings on instinct, being trained by batman, he did more than he would like.

He was in a large warehouse filled with crates, boxes and nets. It smelt strongly like sea water and the roof was leaking. Nightwing turned his head and saw Robin silently sobbing as he keep pressure on his side. "Gnnn… Tim?" Nightwing's voice was hoarse and quiet. The younger hero jumped at the mention of his name and quickly whipped his head around, looking for the source. His eyes then fell onto his older brother.

"You're awake!" Robin said surprised. Nightwing nodded and slowly lifted himself into a sitting position, leaning on some nearby crates. "How…. Long was I out?" asked the older hero. Robin thought for a moment before answering "Hour and a half, give or take. We have to leave…" Robin was cut off by the sound of a door slamming open.

"Well! How are our captives doing? Just kidding. I don't actually care. I just came in to ask if Blue Bird over there was feeling talkative yet." Joker's voice was cheery. He was holding a crowbar in one hand and a trigger in the other.

"Get… Lost clown." Nightwing growled out. The hero moved Robin's hand away from his bleeding side and stood up, his body shaking under the strain. Joker sighed.

"Maybe I'm going at this the wrong way. See this? It's a trigger for some tiny little probes that are in your bloodstream. Tell me what I want to know or I push the button and you start screaming on the floor while you roll around in agony." Replied Joker in a calm voice.

"I told you… already, get… lost." Robin cringed at how much Nightwing sounded like Batman. A vein popped out of Jokers head as he furrowed his eyebrows. "Fine. If that's how you want to play it. Let me just say, these were specifically designed for you. Really, you should feel honoured." Saying this, Joker pushed the trigger.

Nightwing let out a cry of pain as he grabbed his head and dropped to the floor. He curled in on himself as his body started shaking uncontrollably. "Told you so. It'll stop in hours so I'll come back then." Joker waved as he left the warehouse, leaving Robin and Nightwing alone.

**AN: okay i know what you're thinking... "What is this? two author's notes in one chapter? Izzy, what are you thinking? what is this madness?" well don't worry, this is just a kinda update thingy i guess... ****I just though I'd let you guys know I don't actually know when the chapter will be up, oh and I'm wondering... should Batman and/or the team save Nightwing or should he use his awesomeness to escape or other? Write in the reviews or PM me what ya think! **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: so I know it's been a while *dodges flying rotten tomato*. Just informing you guys that I haven't actually written the rest of this story yet so chapter updates make take longer than usual. I'm kinda conscious of this chapter and i don't know if it's as good as my others but hopefully will get better.**

** I will NOT be abandoning this so don't worry! anyway please enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: see chapter one.**

Nightwing's breaths were rough and uneven. His screaming stopped two hours ago but he continued to clutch his head, still shaking like before. Robin sat next to him, his knees hiding his face.

The door to the warehouse swung open and Deathstroke, Poison Ivy, Count Vertigo and Joker walked in (well Joker pranced in) trigger in hand.

"I see the probes are still working. Well no matter. Tell us what we want to know. Now" Deathstroke said a small grin present behind his mask.

The white of Nightwing's mask went wide for a second before returning to normal. The hero rose to his feet, using Robin for support as his body continued to shake. He glared at them and spat at their feet. "Screw… you." He growled coldly. Joker tutted and walked over to the hero followed by Deathstroke. "Grab him." Stated Joker in an almost perfect impression of the dark knight's voice. He giggled before straightening his suit.

Deathstroke nodded before taking a step closer to the two heroes and roughly grabbed Nightwing's throat, squeezing tightly. Nightwing grunted as he was dragged away from his brother.

The hero gave his younger brother a look that could only mean 'get out'.

Robin nodded as tears welled in his eyes. He then ran up to Nightwing, quickly grabbed his belt and grappled into the shadows of the rafters, looking back over his shoulder to see Deathstroke's grip on Nightwing tighten further in frustration at what the two heroes had just done, then Joker pushed the trigger again, a grin growing on his face as Nightwing cried out in pain as Deathstroke dropped him and he started to curl in on himself once again.

"I'll come back Dick… just be alright when I do." he quietly whispered turning away from his writhing brother and silently exiting the warehouse via window.

Outside, the night was cold against the young hero's face. Rain soaked Robin the second he was out the warehouse making the young teen shiver. He grappled onto another building, trying to get away from the warehouse, where his brother's screams were emitting from.

They were so _loud._ Even outside they were almost crystal clear. Robin shuddered before shaking his head and continuing towards the closest zeta-tube.

-At the cave—

"Recognised. Robin B20."

Everyone was startled at the sudden female voice that pulled them from their thoughts. Immediately, Batgirl jumped up and ran to the Zeta-tube's, followed shortly after by the rest of the team. When they reached the tubes, the saw Robin panting. The third boy wonder had a bruise on his cheek, small cuts scattered his body and his hands were covered in blood along with one of his shoulders.

"Robin! We need to get you to the med bay." Exclaimed M'gann when she saw the young hero. Robin shook his head before Batgirl enveloped him into a hug.

"B….blood." stuttered Beast Boy, who went pale at the sight of the third boy wonder. "It's not mine… Di-Nightwing's hurt. Really badly. I don't know how much longer he can last. They did something to him…. we have to go help, before it's too late."

-With Nightwing-

Two hours since Robin's escape

"Well Wing Nut, because you're being so selfish and not sharing with us, we decided it would be best if I continue our playdate _alone._" Joker smiled widely as he walked over to the hero.

Nightwing had vines wrapped around his wrists and ankles, pinning him to the floor, thanks to a certain red headed plant lover. Underneath the hero was a crimson red batman insignia, painted in the hero's pooling blood. Nightwing was shouting out in pain as he tried to curl in on himself, the probes only now starting to deactivate. A camera was set up opposite the hero.

The clown prince of Gotham grinned as he walked over to where the metal rod from where it had been unceremoniously thrown near the door. Joker brought the rod crashing down onto Nightwing's chest, which was still wide open thanks to his vine restraints. The white of Nightwing's mask grew large as fresh blood trickled out the corner of his mouth.

"Are you sure Joker? The mini League is sure to be on their way." Count Vertigo said as the others left the warehouse. Joker waved over his shoulder dismissively replying "It's always fun when I get new play things." With a nod, Vertigo left the clown and hero.

"So… now it's only you and me… how about a song?!" he said, tightening his grip on the rod. Nightwing glared at the Joker. "How… about… no." he gasped weakly, managing to break the vines restraining both his arms and legs during Joker's brief "conversation" with Count Vertigo.

"Not an option Bird Brain. Stay still and stop trying to escape. Her we go~!

_If you're happy and you know it_

_Beat the birdie."_

THUMP

_"__If you're happy and you know it_

_Beat the birdie!"_

THUD

_"__If you're happy and you know it_

_And you really want to show it_

_If you're happy and you know it_

_Beat the BIRDIE! Hahaha!"_

THUMP

THUD

CRACK

Nightwing grit his teeth, trying desperately to supress the scream that was threatening to escape his lips, the hero now lying on his side. Joker frowned at the lack of reaction Batman's first protégé was giving.

"That sounded painful. So why aren't you singing? Huh Wing Nut? WHY. AREN'T. YOU. SINGING?!" with each emphasis Joker hit Nightwing in the chest using the metal rod, earning only a pained grunt from the injured hero.

Joker stepped back panting. Nightwing saw black once again starting to seep into his vision as his breaths began to get even shallower. Joker pranced back over to the hero with his head held high. "I think someone needs a little more team spirit! I know! We'll play a game! It's called 'Shock Truth'! Ready? Here are the rules... first. I bring over the metal surgical table, and you hop on."

Saying this, Joker walked to the far side of the warehouse and came back dragging said table. He then gripped the ebony's throat and threw him onto the table, strapping the hero's wrists and legs to the table using leather straps. Joker himself now wore a doctor's uniform with a surgical mask and wide crazy eyes. "Then, I attach these to the table…"

The clown prince of Gotham smiled as he grabbed two alligator clamps (probably the same ones from earlier) and attached them to two of the legs of the metal table. "Okay this is where you come in! Now, you have to tell me the truth or I flip this switch and electricity… well, you get the idea.

"So first question! Do your parents approve of this hero gig thing?" Joker asked curiously watching the teen's reaction. The clown frowned when he didn't get an answer. Sighing, he started circling Nightwing like a shark would its prey. "Answer the question birdie!" still no answer.

"Fine." Joker growled as he pushed the switch connected to the table. Immediately, electricity surged through Nightwing's body. The hero let out an antagonized scream that he had only been able to supress for a few milliseconds. Joker's grin grew wider as he watched the hero's back arch. After a minute or two Joker flipped the switch again, the electric current stopping its flow through Nightwing's body.

Nightwing would have sighed in relief if he wasn't struggling to breathe.

Joker smiled playfully asking his next question. "Next question! Do your parents even know about this part of your life? The "hero" part?" again Joker didn't get an answer. Said clown sighed, running a hand through his green hair. He stopped pacing immediately when Nightwing's pained gasps turned into low growls.

"Oh, they don't do they?! Oh, you bad birdie! Another shock for you for being naughty and keeping secrets. Hmmm… I think I'll turn this up more…" saying this, Joker upped the voltage dial to almost full before flipping the switch again, eliciting an antagonized scream from the hero.


End file.
